Classic Hits

Rick Springfield, Michael McDonald and REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin are among the artists taking part in Keep Memory Alive’s 26th annual Power of Love gala, taking place February 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The event features a lineup that also includes Paula Abdul, Sam & Dave’s Sam Moore, Alice Cooper, John Mayer, Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger, comedian Nikki Glaser and Sammy Hagar, who will perform and serve as the night’s musical curator.  

The annual Power of Love gala raises funds for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, which provides care and resources to patients and caregivers as they fight diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

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Motown founder Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson are set to be honored during Grammy week as the Recording Academy’s MusiCares Persons of the Year, and now we know some of the artists booked to help celebrate them.

The first lineup of performers announced includes Lionel Richie, Dionne Warwick, Sheryl Crow, Michael McDonald, The Temptations, Isley Brothers and the Four Tops, along with John Legend, Brandi Carlile, Chloe x Halle, Rita Wilson, Mumford & Sons, Trombone Shorty, Jimmie Allen, Molly Tuttle, PJ Morton, Sabastian Yatra, Samara Joy, Lalah Hathaway and Valerie Simpson.

“I am so excited to share the always wonderful MusiCares event with my best friend Smokey Robinson and I can’t wait to hear these wonderful artists celebrate the Motown music,” says Gordy, with Smokey adding, “I’m so excited for this year’s MusiCares lineup. These artists are my friends and I not only love them, but I’m honored that they will be performing my music, along with hits from the Motown catalogue.”

The 32nd annual MusiCares Persons of the Year benefit gala is set for February 3, two days before the Grammys, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Proceeds from the gala, which also includes a silent auction, will provide essential support for MusiCares, which provides music professionals with health and human services across a spectrum of needs.

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The Eagles are extending their time on the road. The band just added another date to their Hotel California tour.

The latest show is set to take place April 8 in Baltimore, Maryland, with tickets going on sale January 27 at 10 a.m. ET. 

The Hotel California tour, which the Eagles launched in 2019, has the band playing their classic 1976 album in its entirety, backed by an orchestra and choir. In addition to the album, the band, which currently consists of Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, with Vince Gill, also treats fans to a set of greatest hits.

The 2023 leg is set to kick off February 17 in Lincoln, California. Eagles.com has the complete list of tour dates.

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Fans have been given a peek inside the memorial service held earlier this month in honor of the late Fleetwood Mac star Christine McVie. A photo shared on her Instagram page shows a piano covered in flowers, along with two photos of Christine and an arrangement of candles.

“One week ago today we celebrated Christine’s extraordinary life in an intimate gathering just above the ocean waves in one of her favorite places – Malibu,” reads the post. “We honored our beautiful Songbird by sharing stories and toasting her legacy that will continue to inspire … She is missed beyond words and will remain in our hearts forever.”

McVie passed away November 30 at the age of 79. Her celebration of life took place at Little Beach House in Malibu, with her Fleetwood Mac bandmates Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks, as well as former bandmate Lindsey Buckingham, in attendance. Mick recently posted the eulogy he gave at the service, sharing a poem he wrote the day after he found out she had passed away.

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Kate Bush made a lot of new fans last year thanks to Stranger Things, and if they want to learn more about her songs, now’s their chance.

The singer is set to release the paperback version of How To Be Invisible: Selected Lyrics, which was released in hardcover in 2018. The new version, dropping May 9, will come with a new introduction courtesy of Bush, along with a new cover design by Jim Kay. You can preorder the book now.

The release will include a limited number of signed copies, available at bookstores and record stores. And some fans who purchase those signed copies are in for a surprise. In a small number of them Bush has included a written message using invisible ink, which can only be revealed under ultraviolet light.

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When Bon Jovi released “Livin’ on a Prayer” back in 1986, the idea of digital music platforms didn’t exist, but the hit single has since gone on to become one of the most-streamed songs from the ’80s.  And on Instagram Wednesday, Jon Bon Jovi celebrated its official Spotify certification for one billion streams.

While opening up a large box containing his new Spotify award — which looks like a shiny metal bowl attached to a plaque — an amused Jon says, “Streaming is the new ‘it,’ right? This is unbelievable, and I’m really grateful for it.”

After reading the words on the plaque — “one billion streams for ‘Livin’ on a Prayer'” — Jon pronounces the honor to be “pretty cool,” and, addressing the fans, says, “Thank you, you guys!”

“Livin’ on a Prayer” is Bon Jovi’s signature song: It was their second number-one hit, and has been certified three-times RIAA Platinum for sales of three million units. It has 996 million views on YouTube.

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The Rolling Stones have taken the next step on social media – they’ve joined TikTok. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers posted their first videos Thursday, sharing a trio of classic clips featuring songs like “Start Me Up,” “Angie” and “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It).”

Stones fans on TikTok can now access the band’s full catalog on the platform, and will be able to create covers and remixes using tunes available on the TikTok Sounds Page. There will also be a new guest playlist on TikTok curated by the band, including 44 classic Stones tracks. 

With the “Start Me Up” clip, the band urged fans to “move like the Stones” and share their creations. The “Angie” clip had them asking fans to share “covers, remixes, guitar solos, mashups…,” and for “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll,” the Stones urged fans to dress like them, with the band promising to share their favorite creations on their page. 

TikTok has launched the official hashtag, #TheRollingStones, to celebrate the band joining the site and make it easier for fans to share their creations.

And that’s not all. Stones frontman Mick Jagger is also planning to launch his own TikTok page, making him the second member of the band on the site after Keith Richards, who joined last year.

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In a new interview with Goldmine magazine, KISS’ Gene Simmons is revealing the 10 albums that changed his life. And folks may be a bit surprised by some of the records that made the list.

“As a preamble, when I first came to America (from Israel) as an eight-and-a-half-year-old boy, this was pre-Beatles. I came to America with my mother in 1958, and I had never heard of rock and roll, and I actually had never seen a television set,” he tells the mag. “The first music I heard in America was Chuck Berry and Little Richard and all that.”

Albums on Gene’s list include greatest hits albums by Ray Charles, Dave Clark Five, Patsy Cline, James Brown and ABBA; 1968’s The Beatles aka The White Album; Jeff Beck Group‘s Truth/Beck-Ola; Led Zeppelin’s 1969 self-titled debut; and The Who’s Tommy.

Of course one of his band’s albums had to make the list, as well, with Gene picking KISS’ 1979 release, Destroyer, noting, “Some of those songs have survived the test of time. It was a strange period. It was the beginning of the end, really. The band started to fall to pieces way back in ’76.”

As for people who may be surprised that ABBA’s Greatest Hits made the list, Gene notes that what he loves “is the ability to craft songs that are forever.” He adds, “So if I’m riding in my car and ABBA music comes on, I turn it up and that’s the sign of greatness. Undeniable songwriting. You just can’t touch it.”

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Joe Walsh’s annual VetsAid charity concert took place last November, and it raised a lot of money to help veterans organizations.

The Eagles guitarist just announced his organization has handed out $650,000 in grants to charities in Ohio, including $75,000 in grants to seven organizations: the Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Buckeye Chapter, Semper Fi & America’s Fund, the Travis Manion Foundation, Save a Warrior Fund, the QL+ Foundation, Hire Heroes USA and the National Veterans Memorial & Museum. 

In addition, $58,000 went to Combined Arms, $15,000 went to Canine Companions and $12,000 went to VFW Post 9857 in Columbus, Ohio, with Stockhands Horses for Healing, Resurrecting Lives Foundation, Back the Heroes Rumble, Task Force 20, Pegasus Farm and Rickenbacker Military Families each receiving $5,000.

The 2022 VetsAid took place in Ohio and saw a reunion of Walsh’s James Gang, along with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, Nine Inch Nails, The Black Keys and The Breeders.

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Wednesday marked the 40th anniversary of Bryan Adams’ third studio album, Cuts Like A Knife, and he’s marked the occasion by releasing two live performances of songs from the record.

Bryan shared clips of him performing the title track and the tune “I’m Ready,” both of which were recorded on May 11, 2022, at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The performance features Keith Scott on guitar, Pat Steward on drums, Sol Walker on bass and Gary Breit on keyboard.

Fans will soon be able to hear the entire Royal Albert Hall performance of the album, as it’s scheduled to hit Apple and Spotify on February 3. 

Adams released Cuts Like A Knife on January 18, 1983. In addition to the title track, it contained the hit “Straight from the Heart,” which was Adams’ first song to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

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